1 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff you should know, a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 2: Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh, and there's 3 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 2: Chuck and Jerry's here too. We're pretty sure and. 4 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 3: This is stuff you should know. That's right. Eighties History, 5 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:24,319 Speaker 3: the New York City History edition. 6 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, oh, it's definitely. I mean, not just like New 7 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 2: York City history. This is one of the pivotal moments 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 2: in the history of New York. 9 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's right, because everyone we are talking about somebody who, 10 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: as far as pop culture goes, was on the cover 11 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 1: of Time magazine. Somebody who has been in pop songs 12 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: by Billy Joel, of course, lou Reid, none other than 13 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:52,639 Speaker 1: the Beastie Boys, has been a trivial pursuit answer, has 14 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: been a question on Jeopardy, has been mentioned in an 15 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: episode of Seinfeld even and of course here are we 16 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: talking at Josh. 17 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 2: Wow, Well, hold on, I can top your Time magazine. 18 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 2: He was also in Mad magazine. 19 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 3: Okay, also in Mad magazine. 20 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: So this must have been some entertainer or some revered 21 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:13,839 Speaker 1: cultural icon. 22 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:14,960 Speaker 3: Yeah. 23 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 2: Sure, in a roundabout way, but not really. I think 24 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:19,479 Speaker 2: you're being coy or fay. 25 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 1: That's right, we're talking about Bernard Getz, the subway vigilante 26 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: who shot four teenagers on a subway train in New 27 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,479 Speaker 1: York City and nineteen eighty four, when I was thirteen 28 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: years old. 29 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 3: I remember this very vividly. It was a very big deal. 30 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, and we should probably come out and say these 31 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 2: were unarmed teenagers too. And then I saw so there's 32 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 2: a book called Five Bullets by a legal correspondent named. 33 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 3: Elliott ness Smith. 34 00:01:54,760 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 2: Actually it's Elliott Smith, hyphen Nessess, good Guess Easton, that's 35 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: Sheena Easton. You're thinking of, thank you for helping me 36 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 2: tap dance. 37 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 3: Here Elliott Easton of the cars. 38 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 2: Well, anyway, i'll find his last name, but his first 39 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 2: name's Elliott. He wrote a book called five Bullets, and 40 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 2: it's about this, and he was I saw him being 41 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 2: interviewed and he was like, you know, were these kids 42 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 2: and he's like, yeah, that's I think. He said, that's 43 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 2: a fair question. He said they were teens, they were 44 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 2: eighteen or nineteen, but they. 45 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 3: Were also like grown adults by then. 46 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: Exactly, they were young men for sure. Ye. So yeah, 47 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,799 Speaker 2: you call them kids, which a lot of people did, 48 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 2: was incorrect. But to also say that they were armed, 49 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 2: which a lot of people said was incorrect as well. 50 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:38,519 Speaker 3: Yeah, unless you count to screwdriver. 51 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 2: Yes, but was that even them being armed? 52 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: I know, yeah, we'll get to all that, so I 53 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: guess we should sort of just say quickly. 54 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 3: The story maybe. 55 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, And by the way, I really I liked your intro. 56 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 3: Oh thanks. 57 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 1: We'll get into the details of it, but the overall 58 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: story is that on the New York City train, on 59 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: the two train in December of nineteen eighty four, a 60 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: guy named Bernard gets thirty seven years old. He's an 61 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: electrical engineer. Still is still lives in the very same apartment, 62 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:12,959 Speaker 1: which is kind of crazy. Really in the West Village, right, 63 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: I'm not even sure where it is. 64 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 2: I'm pretty sure it is. 65 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: Okay, Well, I mean I might have bumped into him 66 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: one day, you never know. But yeah, he still lives 67 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: in the same place, which is a little crazy because 68 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: I've never heard him say one thing about New York 69 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: City that he likes. All I've ever heard him, and 70 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: I've listened to a lot of interviews, all I've ever 71 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: heard him do is complain about everything about New York. 72 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, he's apparently still complaining about how New York was 73 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 2: in the eighties. 74 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, maybe so. But anyway, he was thirty seven at 75 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: the time. Took a seat on the New York City 76 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 1: subway I think of what was it, the two train, 77 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: and four eighteen and nineteen year olds got on. Barry Allen, 78 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: Troy Canty, Darryl Caby, and James Ramsure got on, and 79 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: we're being like, you know, I've been on trains sort 80 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: of back in the day. It doesn't happen a whole 81 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 1: lot anymore where teenagers or even older teenagers get on 82 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: and they start screwing around with people. They start being disruptive, 83 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 1: maybe even veiled, veiledly failedly failedly validly threatening, And that's 84 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,159 Speaker 1: what was going on. And one of them, I believe 85 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: it was Canti, approached Bernard Gets and either said give 86 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: me five bucks or can I have five bucks? And 87 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 1: Bernard Gets pulled a gun out of his windbreaker and 88 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: shot each of them one by one, hitting two of 89 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: them in the back, and then fired a second bullet 90 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: at Darryl Kabe, who was you know, this is where 91 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 1: it gets a little confusing as to how exactly it 92 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: played out, and we'll get to all those details, but 93 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: he's the one that was. Nobody was killed. He was 94 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: the one that was injured the most. He ended up 95 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: paralyzed and brained image because the bullet entered his spine. 96 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's worth saying that when he shot Darryl 97 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 2: KB that second time, Darryl KB was cowering on a 98 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,039 Speaker 2: subway bench in fear of his life and again was 99 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 2: not armed. So this is this is such a like 100 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:19,799 Speaker 2: a difficult case to talk about because in some ways 101 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 2: you kind of have to provide context for Bernard Getz's mindset. 102 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 2: He he was not some insane person necessarily, but when 103 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 2: you find out more about him too, he becomes less 104 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 2: and less sympathetic of a of a person. And yet 105 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 2: at the same time, the victims of this were not 106 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 2: just like, you know, angels, even if in this one 107 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:47,719 Speaker 2: particular incident they weren't necessarily doing anything and they certainly 108 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 2: weren't doing anything worth being shot and paralyzed for life over. 109 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 2: So the whole thing, it's it's just not cut and 110 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 2: dried or black and white, which makes the whole thing, 111 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 2: I guess real life essentially. 112 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, none other than Al Sharpton back in 113 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: the day even said like, hey, these guys are no angels. Yeah, 114 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: So like no one was ever and you know, Al 115 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: Sharpton's on the scene and he's saying that kind of 116 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: thing like contemporaneously. Then you know, like nobody who was 117 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 1: trying to paint these guys is like, you know, these 118 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 1: nice kids who are just on their way home from 119 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 1: the library or whatever. Right, So, yeah, we got to 120 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 1: frame this a little bit. And one of the ways 121 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: we should start is probably by talking a little bit 122 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: about New York City in nineteen eighty four. In the 123 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: nineteen eighties, which you know, pretty infamously was down on 124 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: its luck as a town and fairly riddled with crime. 125 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:44,720 Speaker 2: It's fair to say, for sure, it had almost gone 126 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 2: bankrupt as a city in the seventies. I think it 127 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,160 Speaker 2: was bailed out by like City Bank and some of 128 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 2: the other big banks and ODEM big time. And one 129 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 2: other thing too about New York was that crime, including 130 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 2: violent crime, was on the rise across the US, but 131 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 2: in New York it was increasing at a rate sixty 132 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 2: percent faster than any other big city. It was a 133 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 2: it was a totally different town than it is today. Yeah, Like, 134 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 2: for sure, all you have to do is look at 135 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 2: a picture of the interior of a subway from nineteen 136 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 2: eighty four. Yeah, and compare it to the interior of 137 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 2: a subway today, and it will give you a really 138 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: good idea of kind of the general lawlessness that was 139 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 2: going on in New York at the time. 140 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 3: Yeah. 141 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: I think there were thirty eight crimes a day just 142 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: on the subway in New York City. And you know 143 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,559 Speaker 1: I mentioned that last episode. I'm reading that Abel Ferrara book. 144 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: He's a New York guy, and so some of these 145 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: early stories from back then. He lived near Union Square, 146 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: like you know Union Square, New York. 147 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 2: Sure, I do have walked around in a circle, even 148 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 2: it's quite lovely. 149 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: Not when he lived there, which was in the eighties, 150 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: he said that he literally would not go into Union 151 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:52,119 Speaker 1: Square at night, and he was he was a pretty 152 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: tough guy. Yeah, and that at one point, like the phone, 153 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: like New York City was in such bad shape, like 154 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 1: ma Bell went down for I feel like months, like 155 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: he said, nobody could call in or out from from 156 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: my neighborhood near Union Square. 157 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 2: That's like escape from New York type stuff. 158 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure, Like he said, he used to pick 159 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: up the phone every day just to see if there 160 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: was a dial tone. And then finally one day there 161 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: was and he was like, oh my god, I can 162 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: I can call somebody. 163 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was so bad New York was back in 164 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 2: this day that in Times Square people wouldn't go to 165 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 2: the Planet Hollywood or TGI Fridays, and both of them 166 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 2: almost went under. 167 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, Bubba Gump Shrimp was really suffering. 168 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 2: Yes, big time. So yeah, New York was a different place. 169 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 2: And this is actually this will help explain the reaction 170 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 2: that Bernard Getz got when he, I guess turned himself 171 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 2: in and became known as the subway vigilante. But before 172 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 2: that he was an unknown person. This was an unknown 173 00:08:56,200 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 2: perpetrator because after he shot Canty Alan kb Ramser, he 174 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 2: took off. He jumped out of the stopped subway car, 175 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 2: ran down the tracks, and then I guess hit a 176 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 2: platform and ran back up above ground and was on 177 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 2: the lamp for like seven or nine days, I think. 178 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 3: Yeah. 179 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: The subway conductor actually confronted him and was like, are 180 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: you a cop? And he said no, and he tried 181 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: to get the gun from Bernie Getz, which was a 182 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 1: Smith and Wesson thirty eight thirty eight caliber, and that's 183 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 1: that's when he took off and ran down the Chamber Street. 184 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: But yeah, he packed a bag, rented a car and 185 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:33,559 Speaker 1: drove to New Hampshire. 186 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think he passed through Vermont because I 187 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 2: heard that he buried the gun there and he was 188 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 2: really scared, like he was, I mean, as you would 189 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 2: be after something like that. He said that in the 190 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 2: moment he was totally out of control, but very quickly 191 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 2: after that he got really scared. So he was running 192 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 2: on the lamb because he was under the impression that 193 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 2: when New York got their hands on him. I think 194 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 2: he's he told a detective in New Hampshire, they're going 195 00:09:59,920 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 2: to wipe the floor with me. And it turned out 196 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 2: that the essentially the exact opposite happened to Bernard Gets 197 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 2: when he turned himself in nine days after the shooting 198 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:11,559 Speaker 2: in New Hampshire. 199 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean the reaction generally from New York, I 200 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: mean it was divided in a way. It's not like 201 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: everyone felt this way, but there were enough people that 202 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: were like, yeah, good for him. This city is a 203 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 1: cesspool and somebody finally took up for themselves. That was 204 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,839 Speaker 1: a sentiment like across racial lines, and race would play 205 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 1: a big part as we'll see, Like that's sort of 206 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:35,839 Speaker 1: one of the uncomfortable things we have to talk about, 207 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 1: because Bernard gets very unapologetically in interviews, countless interviews over 208 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:43,800 Speaker 1: the years, talked about you know, black men specifically is 209 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:46,320 Speaker 1: what he would say over and over again, and the 210 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: violence and ruining the city. And I think you found 211 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 1: statistics right that like a lot of the like, hey, 212 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: we are on this guy side kind of crossed over 213 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: racial lines too, right. 214 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, it wasn't. It was not the way that you 215 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 2: would think of it. I think half of the Hispanic 216 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 2: population of New York said they support him in a 217 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 2: survey quickly afterward, and forty five percent of Black New 218 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 2: Yorkers said that they supported him too. And again it's because, 219 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:16,199 Speaker 2: like you said, like a lot of these people had 220 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 2: their own experience with like being mugged or maybe intimidated 221 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 2: or something on the subway. So the idea of somebody 222 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 2: stepping forward and doing something really kind of resonated with 223 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 2: the people living in New York at the time, because 224 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 2: I read they might not all have been living in 225 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 2: constant fear like we'll see Bernard Getz was, but they 226 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 2: were constantly on alert. You had to like really know 227 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 2: what you were doing to live in New York or else. 228 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 2: You were putting yourself in jeopardy if you were naive 229 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,839 Speaker 2: about that kind of thing. So the people were like, Yeah, 230 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 2: that's great. I'm glad somebody finally stood up to him. 231 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,600 Speaker 2: The cops aren't doing anything, which was definitely a big 232 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:56,680 Speaker 2: criticism of the NYPD and the New York judicial system 233 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 2: at the time, like a lot of crime was just 234 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 2: being overlooked because the major crimes were so overwhelming to 235 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 2: the cops in the courts. 236 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think you said it best about just being alert, 237 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: because like I think sometimes this period of New York 238 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 1: gets painted as like, if you walk outside of your apartment, 239 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: there's a fifty to fifty chance you're going to get 240 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: mugged or murdered, right, And when you look at the stats, 241 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: it's shocking today to hear about like thirty eight literal 242 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: crimes on the subway every single day, because it's just 243 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 1: not like that now. But when you talk about how many, 244 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: you know, tens of thousands of people ride the subway, 245 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: it's still a low number, but it was high enough, 246 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: and everyone knew someone who knew someone who had had 247 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:39,560 Speaker 1: this happen. If it hadn't happened to them that like, yeah, 248 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 1: it was a different time, but we just don't want 249 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: to paint it as like, you know, the wild West, 250 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: because it wasn't like that exactly. 251 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 2: No, But when the news of the subway vigilanti came out, 252 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 2: one of the things that really shaped the public opinion too, 253 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 2: and made it easier for people to be like, heck, yeah, 254 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 2: good for that guy. I love him. I think Joan 255 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 2: Rivers sent him a telegram that said loving kisses and 256 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 2: offered to help him with his bail money. People had 257 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 2: t shirts. Did you see that T shirt I sent 258 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 2: you that's available on eBay? 259 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:12,319 Speaker 3: Oh, I thought you sent it in the mail. You 260 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 3: didn't buy me that. 261 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 2: It said thug busters and it said it quit Bernard 262 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 2: Getz has like I think a gun or something. No, 263 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 2: it had a bad guy with a circle in a 264 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 2: slash through like Ghostbusters. 265 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 3: I guess yeah. 266 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,319 Speaker 1: I mean that was you know, that was the public sentiment. 267 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:29,720 Speaker 1: And it also had to do with the way initially 268 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: the press was being fed to them about this because 269 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: right all the information coming out was you know, hey, 270 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 1: these guys had screwdrivers in their pockets, they were trying 271 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,680 Speaker 1: to mug him. They didn't focus on sort of the 272 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: shooting aspect, like that he had hollow point bullets, which 273 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:47,080 Speaker 1: are of course even deadlier. 274 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:51,720 Speaker 3: M I guess non hollow bullets. What are those called. 275 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:54,439 Speaker 2: Regular bullet? 276 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 3: Regular bullets? 277 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, sure, talking to two newvies here with that stuff, 278 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,200 Speaker 1: didn't talk about shooting them in the back. Initially in 279 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: the press, they talked, you know, they talked to Kanti's 280 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 1: brother and he was like, yeah, my brother free basis 281 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: cocaine and he was high that day on the subway. 282 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:13,439 Speaker 1: So like all the stuff coming out in the news, 283 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 1: you know, supported like a more benevolent view of Bernard 284 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: Getz at first, at least. 285 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. So there were some people that spoke 286 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 2: out against this. I think the columnist Jimmy Breslin was 287 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 2: publicly repulsed that people were celebrating an incident that left 288 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 2: a teenager in a wheelchair for life, and you know, 289 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 2: he had something to say about that. Mary ed Koch 290 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 2: was apparently the only public official who unconditionally condemned it. 291 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 2: He was basically saying, we will not tolerate vigilanteism. That's 292 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 2: the difference between the wild West and a civilized society. 293 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 2: And he had a really good point, but for the 294 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 2: most part, basically everybody. The loudest people were definitely the 295 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 2: ones who were supporting him. That the few people who 296 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 2: were like that was a hate crime, long before there 297 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 2: were any federal laws against hate crimes, were speaking out, 298 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 2: but they were in a minority. It seemed like. I 299 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 2: found a quote from a guy named James Q. Wilson, 300 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 2: who is a he's a I guess a public policy expert. 301 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 2: I think he was a conservative. He said that it 302 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 2: may be that there are no more liberals on the 303 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 2: crime and law and order issue in New York because 304 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 2: they've all been mugged, which I think kind of gets 305 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 2: across the idea that like, there weren't a lot of 306 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 2: people speaking out about this and against Bernard gets especially 307 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 2: at first. 308 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, for sure, all right, I think we'd set the 309 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 3: table pretty nicely. 310 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 2: Mm hmm. 311 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 3: You eat from the outside in. 312 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 2: Oh I've been doing it at the opposite my home. 313 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 2: I've been eating from bottom. 314 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: To toph No, no, no, that's not the way you 315 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: do it. You got to set the table the right way, 316 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: and we have done that. So we'll be right back 317 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: with more on the subway vigilante Bernard Getz. All right, So, 318 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: like we mentioned Bernard Getz hit the trail and a 319 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: rental a rental car went to New Hampshire. A man 320 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: hunt ensued, obviously. Uh, they put out a sketch of him, 321 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: and I guess someone had called in like, hey, I 322 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: think I might have seen this guy in New Hampshire. 323 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: And I guess he felt like the walls were closing 324 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: in because he turned himself in and to the Concord 325 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: Police Department and was really just singing like a songbird 326 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: like to the Concord police, and then when the NYPD 327 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: got there, he was speaking voluntarily with him. 328 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 3: Uh. 329 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: He hated the NYPD. He hates the New York Times, 330 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 1: Like I said, he has a lot of disdain for 331 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 1: a lot. 332 00:16:57,200 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 3: Of the things about New York. 333 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, but yeah, he was just you know, if you 334 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: see these interviews, these are on videotape and you can 335 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,640 Speaker 1: watch them, he's just very unapologetic about the whole thing. 336 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 3: And he still is. 337 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 1: You know, we'll read some like more modern quotes, but 338 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 1: he was always just like, yeah, this is how it happened. 339 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 1: I shot these guys. I wish I had more bullets. 340 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,200 Speaker 1: And we'll read some quotes, you know, for sure. 341 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 2: He said some really chilling things, but also some really 342 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,919 Speaker 2: contradictory stuff too. During that initial interview with the cops 343 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 2: in New Hampshire, he said things like, you know, I 344 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 2: wish it were a dream, you know, like he said, 345 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 2: I'm I think like I'm disgusted with myself where I'm disgusted. 346 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 2: It happened like he was of two minds, and then 347 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 2: he'd switch to like, if I had had more bullets, 348 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 2: I would have kept shooting, Like the problem was I 349 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 2: ran out of bullets, like he said, all sorts of 350 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 2: just different back and forth swinging stuff. But he was 351 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 2: also very lucid too. He wasn't like, yeah, he wasn't 352 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 2: knowing I think ever accused him or suggested he was 353 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 2: mentally ill, except for a judge, as we'll see. 354 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 3: But no, no temporary insanity talk or anything. 355 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 2: Nothing like that. Now. But he's almost universally characterized when 356 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,399 Speaker 2: somebody writes a brief sketch of him as a loner. Yeah, 357 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 2: he didn't have very many friends. He didn't have much family, 358 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 2: if any, at that time. He was an electrical engineer 359 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 2: by education and trade. He went to NYU and he 360 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 2: had a business where he calibrated high end electrical equipment, 361 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:28,160 Speaker 2: and that actually led to that business, led to his 362 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 2: first personal brush with violence in New York. And this 363 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:40,120 Speaker 2: definitely set the foundation for the mindset that he had 364 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 2: when he got on that subway in December nineteen eighty four, 365 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 2: for sure. 366 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:48,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, and set the groundwork for his eventual defense in court, 367 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 1: because in nineteen eighty one, he was mugged. He was 368 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,880 Speaker 1: violently mugged in a subway station by three men. 369 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:58,679 Speaker 3: This is in nineteen eighty one. 370 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 1: Like I said, this is why he decided he needed 371 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 1: a gun. 372 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 3: He was beat up pretty bad. 373 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 1: They threw him into a plate glass window because he 374 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: had like electronic equipment and they wanted that stuff. So 375 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 1: apparently he suffered a permanent knee injury. Two of the 376 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 1: guys were never caught, And this is what really really 377 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:21,919 Speaker 1: got him was the third guy was out of the 378 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: police station in a couple of hours, and gets was 379 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 1: there for like six hours. He was held, not held held, 380 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: but you know, he was there telling his side of 381 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 1: the story, and it took four hours longer for him 382 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 1: to get out of the police station. And that really 383 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:38,879 Speaker 1: really stuck in his crawl. 384 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think ultimately that one guy that they 385 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 2: did catch was only ever charged with criminal mischief, and 386 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:48,360 Speaker 2: I think under normal circumstances we wouldn't point this out, 387 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 2: but I think because of how the effect that it 388 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 2: had on Bernard Getz and how it helped transform him, 389 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 2: it's worth pointing our specifying that the three men who 390 00:19:57,560 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 2: mugged him in nineteen eighty one were all black. 391 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, that's where he got his at least, 392 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 1: you know, I'm sure he had feelings like that before, 393 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 1: but that's definitely what drilled it into him and got 394 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:14,120 Speaker 1: him sort of on that path of thinking that way. 395 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 1: I guess about you know, all young black men in 396 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: New York at the time. It's definitely what led him 397 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: to get that gun. So had this not happened, I 398 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: didn't see anything that led me to believe that he 399 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:26,399 Speaker 1: would have ever been the kind of guy to carry 400 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 1: a gun around. So that put the gun in his hand. 401 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: Was that mugging? He He applied for one legally in 402 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: New York, saying like, hey, I was mugged before for 403 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,919 Speaker 1: this electronic equipment, and you know, sometimes I'm caring cash 404 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 1: for my business. And they rejected that, saying he didn't 405 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:49,160 Speaker 1: demonstrate sufficient need. He appealed that that got rejected, so 406 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 1: he bought a gun I think legally in Florida. Sorry 407 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:55,360 Speaker 1: about the thirty eight where his parents lived at the time. 408 00:20:55,680 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 2: Right, So yeah, I just want to like specify he 409 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 2: was turned down twice for a gun permit, and he 410 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 2: was like, I carry expensive equipment. I'm at risk of 411 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 2: being a tech It's already happened once. Yeah, And I 412 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:15,080 Speaker 2: think that, in addition to the mugger being let go 413 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 2: hours before he was able to get out of the 414 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 2: police station after being mugged, those two things together, like 415 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 2: not only did he now hate the NYPD, he now 416 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 2: hated the New York City bureaucracy and he had no 417 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 2: faith in any of them. And in fact, during that 418 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 2: interview when he turned himself in in nineteen eighty four 419 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 2: now or no, I guess it was New Year's even 420 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty four, he was basically saying, like, if you 421 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 2: stop protecting people, then you're in no position to pass 422 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 2: moral judgment when they defend themselves in this, you know, 423 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 2: in the face of crime or whatever. And I think 424 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 2: that is essentially especially in that initial reporting where he 425 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 2: was held up. The four guys had sharpened screwdrivers. He 426 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:00,879 Speaker 2: had just shot at him, like, you know, that was 427 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 2: it that That is one of the reasons why so 428 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 2: many people were like yes to that guy, you know, yeah, 429 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 2: because they felt the same way. They felt like they've 430 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 2: been abandoned by the by the police and the courts, 431 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 2: and this was this guy who stood up for the 432 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 2: rest of us, like this every man who stood up 433 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 2: and said enough. And that's that was the support for him. 434 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. 435 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:23,679 Speaker 1: I mean this is also on the heels of the 436 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: Death Wish movies. Yeah, so that kind of vigilantism was 437 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 1: you know, celebrated in movie theaters with Chryls Bunsen. Here's 438 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:33,720 Speaker 1: a quote from Getz in that interview. He said, I 439 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 1: wanted to kill those guys. I wanted to maim those guys. 440 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 1: Wanted to make them suffer in every way I could. 441 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:40,919 Speaker 1: And you can't understand this because it's a realm of 442 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 1: reality you're not familiar with. If I had more bullets, 443 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:45,919 Speaker 1: I would have shot them all again and again. My 444 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 1: problem was I ran out of bullets. It should be 445 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: noted he only had five bullets in a six bullet 446 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: capable revolver. 447 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 3: That's what they're probably just say revolver. Most people know 448 00:22:58,040 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 3: what that is. 449 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,400 Speaker 2: How how many bullets came as that was a revolver 450 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:01,880 Speaker 2: there died. 451 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 1: Well, there are some revolvers have eight bullets, but the 452 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: standard is six. So eventually he was indicted. It kind 453 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 1: of took a meandering road to finally arrive there, but 454 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: he was eventually charged with attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment, 455 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 1: and a slew of firearms charges. But at the end 456 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:25,119 Speaker 1: of January eighty five was the first go round with 457 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 1: a grand jury. They did not indict him except for 458 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: illegal weapons possession. Apparently there was a DA at the 459 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: time that was up for reelection, didn't you know. Bernard 460 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: Getz was very popular, so he didn't want to like 461 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 1: try too hard to bring serious charges, so he didn't 462 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: call victims to testify or anything like that. As the 463 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 1: details start leaking out, you know, and these quotes start 464 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:52,639 Speaker 1: coming out, the DA is kind of cornered to like, like, 465 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:54,639 Speaker 1: I have to really do this so they can mean. 466 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:58,160 Speaker 1: A new grand jury in March of that year and 467 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: made the case for murder, assault, recored you know, all 468 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:03,400 Speaker 1: the charges he was eventually charged with and brought in 469 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 1: at least Kanty and Rams sure to testify along with eyewitnesses. 470 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 2: This time Yeah, So the grand jury indicted him, I think, 471 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 2: on thirteen counts total, and very shortly after that all 472 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 2: all thirteen counts got thrown out. The whole case got 473 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 2: thrown out because the defense made a successful case that 474 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 2: the I think the prosecutor had the DA had given 475 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 2: poor instructions to the grand jury, and that Ramser and 476 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:36,919 Speaker 2: Canty had perjured themselves. Right, And so it looked like 477 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 2: he was going to get off again. And then I 478 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 2: think a few months later an appeals court said, no, 479 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:44,960 Speaker 2: get back in there, let's actually do this thing. So 480 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 2: by the summer of nineteen eighty six, it looked like 481 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 2: he was going to definitely be tried in a serious 482 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:54,360 Speaker 2: manner for some very serious charges. 483 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure. He obviously pleaded not guilty. He claimed 484 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:02,400 Speaker 1: self defense and and I guess we should go into 485 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,359 Speaker 1: a little more detail about what happened on the train. 486 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 1: You know, I mentioned these guys all four got on. 487 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: They were being rude, they were being inconsiderate. You know, again, 488 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: you've if you've been to New York City and ridden 489 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: the subway, you've probably seen behavior kind of like this 490 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:16,880 Speaker 1: at some point. 491 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 3: It makes everyone very uncomfortable. 492 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:22,400 Speaker 1: But you never know if it's like these days, you're 493 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 1: probably like, it's not a real threat, let's just kind 494 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 1: of ignore it. 495 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 3: Back then, it probably seemed much more like a real threat. 496 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:32,680 Speaker 1: Apparently, Troy Canty went up to gets directly and said 497 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 1: and his best as Joey Tribiani, how you doing, asked 498 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 1: them a couple more questions, just like, you know, just 499 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,040 Speaker 1: kind of messing with them, small talk stuff, gets kind 500 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: of answered briefly, and gets his you know, obviously getting 501 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: kind of worked up at this point. 502 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 3: This is a guy who had had enough. 503 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 1: Barry Allen and Troy Canty approached him, and that is 504 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 1: when the sort of controversial line of gimme five bucks 505 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 1: or can I get five bucks happened. Either way, gimme 506 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: five bucks doesn't sound like a mugging, like give me 507 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 1: all your money, sucker. 508 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:09,359 Speaker 3: That sounds like a mugging to me. 509 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:11,920 Speaker 2: Or give me all your love and all your hugs 510 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:12,840 Speaker 2: and kisses too. 511 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 3: That's right. 512 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 1: But there's something about the specificity of the five bucks 513 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:19,199 Speaker 1: to me take some threat out of it. But this 514 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:21,480 Speaker 1: is just my dumb opinion all these years later. 515 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 2: Well that's funny because I've read some I've read a 516 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 2: few people who have said like five bucks is way 517 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 2: different back then than it is today. Like, if you 518 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 2: were panhandling, you asked for a quarter, which is essentially 519 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,120 Speaker 2: the same as asking somebody for a dollar today. Ask 520 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 2: you for five bucks was like asking for fifteen bucks today. 521 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:44,480 Speaker 2: And I said, somebody say, like asking for a quarter's 522 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:49,440 Speaker 2: panhandling back then, asking for five dollars was robbery essentially, 523 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 2: so that amount actually did make a have an impact 524 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:54,440 Speaker 2: on the criminal case. 525 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I'm talking about my opinion on the specificity, 526 00:26:57,840 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 1: not the amount of money. 527 00:26:58,920 --> 00:26:59,480 Speaker 2: Oh I got you. 528 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:03,480 Speaker 1: Sure, Like asking for a specific amount of money just 529 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:05,639 Speaker 1: to me feels less threatening than like, hey, give me 530 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:06,920 Speaker 1: everything in your wallet right now. 531 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:09,360 Speaker 2: Oh gotcha? Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. That's a really 532 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 2: good point. I see it to me. 533 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, so that's just me. But that's when he again 534 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:17,479 Speaker 1: unzipped his windbreaker, pulled out the gun. This whole thing 535 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: was over in twenty seconds. Happened very quickly. Wow, he 536 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:24,160 Speaker 1: fired five shots in the subway car with I think 537 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:26,360 Speaker 1: there were like fifteen to twenty other people on the car. 538 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,800 Speaker 1: We should mention, which you know makes it obviously super 539 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:30,639 Speaker 1: dangerous thing to do. 540 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's that reckless endangerment thing. 541 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:36,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly. So he started with Canty hit him in 542 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:40,120 Speaker 1: the chest. All these guys are running for cover. Obviously 543 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,919 Speaker 1: Alan was hitting the back. Ram sure was hit in 544 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 1: the arm, arms and chests. So I guess the single 545 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 1: shot kind of, you know, did that magic bullet thing. 546 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:51,680 Speaker 1: And then this is where I got a little confused, 547 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:54,680 Speaker 1: because it was a little confusing as to whether the 548 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:58,359 Speaker 1: fourth or fifth bullet hit KB. Everything I've seen, I 549 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:01,680 Speaker 1: guess says that the fourth bullet miss them. And that's 550 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 1: when Gets walked up to him when he was cowering 551 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:07,679 Speaker 1: the corner and either did or did not say something 552 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:12,160 Speaker 1: to him that was never completely established, but Get said 553 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 1: himself that he told him you don't look too bad. 554 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 1: Here's another and fired the fifth shot into his spine. 555 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,520 Speaker 1: But there was some contention because apparently no one else 556 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 1: heard that, and Gets may have just been like kind 557 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:25,679 Speaker 1: of fantasizing that. 558 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:28,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's not clear. But everything up to that point 559 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:33,360 Speaker 2: where he allegedly walked over to KB and said that 560 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 2: and shot him again, everybody basically like, yeah, that's what happened, right. 561 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 2: There were some other points of contention though, too. In 562 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 2: addition to walking over and shooting KB in the back 563 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 2: at point blank range. One of them is were they 564 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 2: trying to rob Bernard Gets? 565 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:52,440 Speaker 3: Right? Yeah. 566 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 2: And the reason why that's so important in the difference 567 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,920 Speaker 2: between give me five bucks or can I have five bucks? 568 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 2: The whole crime case hinged on that. Yeah, because in 569 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 2: New York law at the time, I believe they probably 570 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,320 Speaker 2: changed it since the Bernard Gets case, it was okay 571 00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 2: for you to use deadly force if you reasonably believed 572 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:16,600 Speaker 2: that you were about to be robbed, even if the 573 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 2: other people weren't threatening like bodily harm or deadly force. 574 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 2: Somebody came up to you and said give me your wallet, 575 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:27,000 Speaker 2: you could just plug them full of holes and walk 576 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 2: away with the self defense like defense, right, the Charles 577 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:37,480 Speaker 2: Bronson rule pretty much. Yeah, So all that the all 578 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 2: the defense had to prove was that a reasonable person 579 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 2: in Bernard Gets the situation would have believed that they 580 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 2: were being robbed. That was the low bar that they 581 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 2: had to overcome. And on the other side, the prosecution 582 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:52,360 Speaker 2: was like, no, man, we have to prove that he 583 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 2: wanted to kill those kids, that his intent was murder, 584 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 2: that it was reckless endangerment, all the other charges that 585 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 2: were against All the defense had to do to get 586 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 2: him acquitted. Was just proved that one part, because that 587 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 2: use of deadly force then would have been authorized across 588 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 2: the whole thing. 589 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:11,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure. Other points of contention is they did 590 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:15,719 Speaker 1: have two screwdrivers. They said that they were going to 591 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 1: break into arcade games and steal the money. They never 592 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:21,800 Speaker 1: like pulled out the screwdrivers and held them at his 593 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:24,760 Speaker 1: throat or anything like that. Get said that he could 594 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 1: see the outline of the screwdrivers in their pockets. That's 595 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 1: what he claimed to court at least. And one of 596 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 1: the NYPD cops claimed that Canty had said to him, 597 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 1: you know, when they were on the scene kind of 598 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 1: talking about what was going on, said we were trying 599 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 1: to rob the guy. Canty said, no, I never said that, 600 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:45,480 Speaker 1: And no one on the train, because they had eyewitnesses, 601 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 1: could corroborate the officer's story. And then Jimmy Breslin you 602 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier, the very famous New York City Beat reporter. 603 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 1: He interviewed Kab in the hospital about a year afterward, 604 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 1: and he claimed that Kaby acknowledged that they were going 605 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 1: to rob him because he looked like quote, easy bait. 606 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 1: But KB says, no, I never told him that and 607 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:09,200 Speaker 1: people are like, well, this guy had suffered brain damage 608 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 1: at this point, so you know, who knows if that's 609 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:14,560 Speaker 1: reliable testimony or not testimony, but whatever. 610 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:16,120 Speaker 3: Jimmy Breslin wrote about. 611 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:20,959 Speaker 2: Right, and that robbing our Kide Games alibi actually definitely 612 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 2: checked out, Like everybody believes that that's what they were 613 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 2: going to do because they had a history of that 614 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 2: and I think Troy Knty had been convicted for stealing 615 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 2: fourteen dollars in quarters out of our Kade Games, So 616 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,640 Speaker 2: that's almost certainly what they were going to do, which 617 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 2: really undermines the idea that they were robbing Bernard Gets right, then. 618 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:45,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely. Then there was a contention of how that 619 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: last shot went down. What was he doing right before 620 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:51,880 Speaker 1: he got shot in the back? Bernard Gets His attorney 621 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 1: claimed that he was that Kaby was standing up when 622 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:58,840 Speaker 1: he was shot, but everybody there, like every single eyewitness 623 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:02,240 Speaker 1: and Gets said, no, he was seated, And people are like, 624 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:05,239 Speaker 1: he was sort of cowering in the corner of the 625 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:08,479 Speaker 1: subways in a seat, like yeah, kind of cornered, couldn't 626 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:11,040 Speaker 1: go anywhere, and you know, frightened out of his life, 627 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,959 Speaker 1: and so that's when he shot him. 628 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 3: In the back. 629 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:17,840 Speaker 2: Even Gets in the interview in New Hampshire when he 630 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 2: turned himself in, said that when he walked over to 631 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:24,400 Speaker 2: Darryl Kby, he saw like genuine fear in his eyes, 632 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 2: and that's when things started to slow down. Like the 633 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 2: adrenaline rush or whatever that was like he was operating 634 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 2: on started to slow. In addition to his demonstrated bigotry, 635 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 2: which we haven't really talked much about. That you did 636 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:42,000 Speaker 2: a little bit, but he had a history of publicly 637 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 2: using racial slurs. His bigotry was just on full display 638 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 2: pretty frequently, from what witnesses and other residents in his 639 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 2: building would later say. In addition to that, like he 640 00:32:55,520 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 2: went over and shot an unarmed kid cowering for his life, 641 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:03,959 Speaker 2: point blank, ring in the spine, and paralyzed him for life. So, 642 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:06,960 Speaker 2: no matter what you think about the rest of it, 643 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:10,280 Speaker 2: like that, those two things make it really really hard 644 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:15,560 Speaker 2: to sympathize with Bernard Getz. Even though I can still 645 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 2: sympathize with anybody who is living in fear on a 646 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:22,640 Speaker 2: daily basis, I don't want that for anybody. 647 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 1: All right, I think it's a good time for a break. Yeah, sure, 648 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:28,239 Speaker 1: all right, we'll be back, right after this with more 649 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:28,960 Speaker 1: than Bernard Getz. 650 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 2: So the actual, real legitimate criminal trial got underway in 651 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:55,600 Speaker 2: December nineteen eighty six, ran all the way to June 652 00:33:55,680 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty seven, and it took them four months just 653 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:02,520 Speaker 2: to seat a jury. Yeah, because Bernard guests was. I mean, 654 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:04,719 Speaker 2: all you have to say is that he was in 655 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:09,360 Speaker 2: Mad magazine to get across like what a pop culture 656 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:11,879 Speaker 2: icon and this guy was I saw a folk hero 657 00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 2: used many times to describe him. Yeah, and just to 658 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:19,279 Speaker 2: find anybody who had not really heard of him or 659 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:21,880 Speaker 2: had claimed did not really form any opinion on the 660 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:24,320 Speaker 2: whole thing was very difficult in New York at the time. 661 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:26,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean it's still difficult probably. 662 00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 2: Sure. 663 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:30,040 Speaker 1: So they got you know, obviously they had all of 664 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:33,000 Speaker 1: those recordings when he was singing like a canary about himself, 665 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 1: so they had that in court to play. They had 666 00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 1: victim testimony, like Troy Canty. Not all of them talked, 667 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,200 Speaker 1: but Troy Canty was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony. 668 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:48,200 Speaker 1: That's when he told them about you know, robbing the 669 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:52,279 Speaker 1: video games. That's when he claimed, you know, mister Kenna 670 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:55,400 Speaker 1: have five dollars and that he said, get said you 671 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,319 Speaker 1: can all have it like Charles Bronson and pulled out 672 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:02,359 Speaker 1: the gun. He said that he heard Kby's crying out, 673 00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:04,000 Speaker 1: why did he shoot me? Why did he shoot me? 674 00:35:05,239 --> 00:35:08,000 Speaker 1: Barry Allen pled the fifth. He was not granted immunity, 675 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:11,960 Speaker 1: so he did not. He pled the fifth for every question. Basically, 676 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:16,960 Speaker 1: James Ramser's involvement in the testimony was a little weird. 677 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:19,800 Speaker 1: We couldn't find it. I saw that he was granted immunity. 678 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:21,759 Speaker 1: Josh saw that he wasn't. So it's kind of hard 679 00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 1: to parse it out. But either way, he refused to 680 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:29,040 Speaker 1: take the stand. Judge found him in contempt and removed 681 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:32,440 Speaker 1: him from court initially, and we'll get to it, but 682 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:34,040 Speaker 1: he would later come back right. 683 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:38,279 Speaker 2: And then don't forget the eyewitnesses who were recklessly endangered 684 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:41,960 Speaker 2: by the shooting too. On the subway car. One was 685 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 2: Amanda Gilbert who was trying to render aid to one 686 00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:48,640 Speaker 2: of the I don't know who it was, but one 687 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:50,480 Speaker 2: of them said, miss I've been shot through the heart 688 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:53,080 Speaker 2: and I'm dying. And then Darryl Kaby said, I didn't 689 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:56,520 Speaker 2: do anything. He shot me for nothing, and that had 690 00:35:56,560 --> 00:35:59,400 Speaker 2: I'm sure an effect on the jury. But the judge 691 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:02,120 Speaker 2: was like, that's here, so throw out that testimony. 692 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:03,120 Speaker 3: That's right. 693 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:07,160 Speaker 1: Victor Flores was another eyewitness. He said the shots all 694 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:10,480 Speaker 1: came in quick succession, which I think most people agree on. 695 00:36:11,360 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 1: He said the kids were frightened, backing off, trying to 696 00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 1: get away. There was no reason to shoot them. And 697 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:18,200 Speaker 1: he's one of the ones that said Getz did not 698 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:22,839 Speaker 1: speak to KB before he shot him. But then there 699 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:26,840 Speaker 1: was Christopher either Boucher or Bouchet, I'm not sure how 700 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:31,799 Speaker 1: he pronounced it bo bo u c h R. He 701 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:34,439 Speaker 1: was near kV when that fish shot happened. And here 702 00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:38,040 Speaker 1: was the back and forth on the stand. What did 703 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:40,120 Speaker 1: the person who was sitting down do at the moment 704 00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:43,279 Speaker 1: the shot was fired. Well, he was sitting grasping the 705 00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:45,480 Speaker 1: bench and he was just frightened. Did you ever see 706 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,480 Speaker 1: that person try to get out of the seat. No, 707 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:49,560 Speaker 1: did you ever see him threatening mister Getz? 708 00:36:49,680 --> 00:36:52,399 Speaker 3: No? Did he have anything in his hand that you saw? No? 709 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:54,799 Speaker 3: Any doubt you saw a person sitting in that seat 710 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:57,359 Speaker 3: when he was shot and fired, No, no doubt. How 711 00:36:57,440 --> 00:36:58,800 Speaker 3: is your eyesight? It's perfect? 712 00:36:59,160 --> 00:37:03,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, so not really good as far as the defense goes. 713 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:08,120 Speaker 2: After that, the prosecution was like, we need to get 714 00:37:08,200 --> 00:37:10,360 Speaker 2: James Ramser up there. He was one of the victims. 715 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:13,279 Speaker 2: He obviously is a witness, so we need to find 716 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:15,879 Speaker 2: out what he has to say. And that was a 717 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:22,680 Speaker 2: really bad move for the prosecution because we had mentioned 718 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:25,319 Speaker 2: before that, you know, even Al Sharpton was like, these 719 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:29,120 Speaker 2: guys are no angels. It wasn't because they robbed video games. 720 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 2: That would be a stupid thing to say. The reason 721 00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:34,760 Speaker 2: people say that kind of thing is because five months 722 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 2: after the shooting, James Ramser was indicted for participating in 723 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 2: a brutal, violent rape and robbery and I think in 724 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:48,200 Speaker 2: his own building. So I mean they had much deeper 725 00:37:48,239 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 2: criminal records than stealing from from video games. That's why 726 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:54,120 Speaker 2: we said that at the outset, and James rams Are 727 00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:58,719 Speaker 2: in particular, he was, I guess cited for contempt. You 728 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:01,680 Speaker 2: said the second time he basically did the same thing. 729 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,560 Speaker 2: He was like, he wouldn't answer questions. He was the 730 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:10,239 Speaker 2: definition of a hostile witness. And that alone, even though 731 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:12,480 Speaker 2: all of that was thrown out by the judge, the 732 00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:19,520 Speaker 2: jury saw that too. Yeah, and that definitely his behavior 733 00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:23,800 Speaker 2: in court reflected on the other four two And I'm 734 00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:26,120 Speaker 2: sure a lot of the members of the jury were 735 00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:29,239 Speaker 2: just looking for a reason to not sympathize with the 736 00:38:29,280 --> 00:38:31,239 Speaker 2: four victims, you know what I mean, Yeah, for sure, 737 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:33,400 Speaker 2: to try to figure out a way for Bernard Gets 738 00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:36,240 Speaker 2: to get off. And James Ramser definitely made it easier 739 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:37,680 Speaker 2: on them with his testimony. 740 00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:41,319 Speaker 1: Yeah, And you know, they did some They brought in 741 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: some expert expert testimony. Basically one guy who was a 742 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:52,400 Speaker 1: neuropsychiatrist named Bernard Yudwitz, and he basically threw out a 743 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:56,120 Speaker 1: fight or flight response and a journal adrenaline response that 744 00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:58,480 Speaker 1: like once that kicks in, he said he was on 745 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:04,040 Speaker 1: autopilot and that all of those shots, like he it 746 00:39:04,080 --> 00:39:07,399 Speaker 1: was a single act like that adrenaline doesn't come down 747 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:11,319 Speaker 1: until afterward and he can then consider what's happening, and 748 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:12,360 Speaker 1: they happened so quickly. 749 00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:14,520 Speaker 3: He was like, it was basically like one thing happened. 750 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:17,560 Speaker 1: And then he had a bullet expert, a ballistics guy 751 00:39:17,640 --> 00:39:21,560 Speaker 1: named Joseph Quirk who testified that KB was shot actually 752 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:24,120 Speaker 1: by the fourth bullet when he was standing up, not 753 00:39:24,239 --> 00:39:27,600 Speaker 1: by the fifth while he was seated, and that entered 754 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:30,680 Speaker 1: his spine and threw him backward into the seat. I 755 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:34,440 Speaker 1: think kind of instantly paralyzing him. And then you know, 756 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:37,760 Speaker 1: they did a re enactment with the Guardian Angels playing. 757 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:40,280 Speaker 1: You know, they got the biggest, baddest, roughest looking Guardian 758 00:39:40,320 --> 00:39:43,920 Speaker 1: Angels they could to play these guys. They took a 759 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:46,719 Speaker 1: field trip to a subway car and you know, took 760 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:48,800 Speaker 1: the jury out there and was like, you know, imagine 761 00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:51,400 Speaker 1: what it was like and sitting in this car and 762 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:53,320 Speaker 1: you know, they were kind of pulling out all the stops. 763 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:56,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, and supposedly the subway car tour really kind of 764 00:39:57,480 --> 00:40:00,839 Speaker 2: solidified things for the jury because they said later that 765 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:04,040 Speaker 2: they could see how Guts would have felt trapped. So, 766 00:40:04,480 --> 00:40:07,640 Speaker 2: out of the thirteen counts that he was indicted and 767 00:40:07,680 --> 00:40:11,840 Speaker 2: tried for, he was only found guilty on one. Everything 768 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:15,520 Speaker 2: the murder attempts, the assault, the reckless endangerment, all of 769 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:17,960 Speaker 2: it he was found not guilty on. The only guilty 770 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:21,080 Speaker 2: charge was the illegal firearm charge. 771 00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:22,240 Speaker 3: Yeah. 772 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:25,120 Speaker 1: Apparently, like you know, they're reading each account how they 773 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:28,440 Speaker 1: do individually, And when the count against Darryl KB, like 774 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:31,440 Speaker 1: who was sitting in there in a wheelchair, came out, Yeah, apparently, 775 00:40:31,520 --> 00:40:35,239 Speaker 1: like there were audible gasps in the courtroom and they said, yeah, 776 00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:38,759 Speaker 1: it was self defense. He was not trying to kill 777 00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:41,680 Speaker 1: these guys, is what they said. And they found that 778 00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:47,239 Speaker 1: reasonable doubt. You know that the I think the adrenaline 779 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:51,640 Speaker 1: response weighed in the self defense of you know, like 780 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:53,239 Speaker 1: the New York law at the time, like you were 781 00:40:53,239 --> 00:40:56,160 Speaker 1: talking about, like there was enough reasonable doubt at least 782 00:40:56,160 --> 00:40:57,160 Speaker 1: as far as the jury. 783 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:58,640 Speaker 3: Was concerned to not convict him. 784 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:02,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, So he got off with I think two hundred 785 00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:06,719 Speaker 2: and fifty days in prison. I don't think he had 786 00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:09,040 Speaker 2: any community service, even he was initially going to have 787 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,560 Speaker 2: five years probation and they revoked that. So that was 788 00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:15,320 Speaker 2: it for Bernard Getz. He just went back to life 789 00:41:15,320 --> 00:41:18,640 Speaker 2: for a while. And then ten years later Darryl Cabe 790 00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:22,359 Speaker 2: filed a civil case against him, And this one was 791 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:25,879 Speaker 2: by nineteen ninety six, New York was a different place, yeah, 792 00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:29,000 Speaker 2: than it was in nineteen eighty six, like dramatically different, 793 00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:33,399 Speaker 2: and so a jury would not have had the same 794 00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:36,920 Speaker 2: experience that the jury in nineteen eighty six would have 795 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:39,640 Speaker 2: had from living in New York for sure, And that 796 00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:42,800 Speaker 2: was definitely reflected in the outcome, which found in Daryl 797 00:41:42,840 --> 00:41:43,680 Speaker 2: Caby's favor. 798 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:47,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, gets didn't really offer much defense at all in 799 00:41:47,600 --> 00:41:50,799 Speaker 1: the civil trial. I think probably because he was a 800 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:52,520 Speaker 1: private guy. He wanted to put all this behind him, 801 00:41:52,520 --> 00:41:55,000 Speaker 1: and he knew he would never pay anything anyway, So 802 00:41:55,200 --> 00:41:58,040 Speaker 1: the jury never heard about him being mugged that first time. 803 00:41:59,360 --> 00:42:01,759 Speaker 1: I think they the defense did call some people. They 804 00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:06,680 Speaker 1: called Jimmy Breslin to testify about KB, the officer that 805 00:42:06,760 --> 00:42:09,120 Speaker 1: testified that Canty told him they were trying to rob him. 806 00:42:09,280 --> 00:42:09,960 Speaker 3: They called him in. 807 00:42:11,640 --> 00:42:14,960 Speaker 1: That was it, basically, except the one big change this 808 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:19,520 Speaker 1: time was that Gets took the stand to testify and 809 00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:22,080 Speaker 1: said things like, you know, I thought about gouging out 810 00:42:22,120 --> 00:42:26,800 Speaker 1: their eyes with keys after I shot them. Darryl CABE's 811 00:42:26,880 --> 00:42:28,799 Speaker 1: mom would have been better off if she would have 812 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:32,640 Speaker 1: not gone through with that pregnancy. I was trying to 813 00:42:32,640 --> 00:42:35,279 Speaker 1: get as many of them as I could, so he 814 00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:38,759 Speaker 1: was he didn't care at this point, I think. 815 00:42:38,640 --> 00:42:40,680 Speaker 2: No, And like you said, he's still saying stuff like 816 00:42:40,680 --> 00:42:43,440 Speaker 2: that too. Right, there's no remorse or I saw no 817 00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:47,040 Speaker 2: self reflection, like he feels the exact same way now 818 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:49,840 Speaker 2: that he did back then, which was awful. 819 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:50,280 Speaker 3: Yeah. 820 00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:52,640 Speaker 1: I got a quote from I mean, I read a 821 00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:55,279 Speaker 1: New York Times article from January this year. Yeah, because 822 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:57,080 Speaker 1: I think there's a couple of books that came out 823 00:42:57,080 --> 00:43:00,400 Speaker 1: this year. Yeah, and he said, you know, the important 824 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:02,480 Speaker 1: thing is is that I shot the right guys and 825 00:43:02,520 --> 00:43:04,000 Speaker 1: no innocent bystanders were heard. 826 00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:07,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. That one of those books was Five Bullets and 827 00:43:07,160 --> 00:43:09,560 Speaker 2: the author's name is Elliott Williams. 828 00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:11,440 Speaker 3: That's right. 829 00:43:11,960 --> 00:43:16,239 Speaker 2: So yeah, I think the jury found in favor of 830 00:43:16,440 --> 00:43:19,839 Speaker 2: Darryl Kaby and said that gets owed him forty three 831 00:43:19,960 --> 00:43:23,200 Speaker 2: million dollars and gets like you said, I guess he 832 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:25,319 Speaker 2: knew that he was never going to pay it, immediately 833 00:43:25,360 --> 00:43:28,120 Speaker 2: file bankruptcy and still to this day, Daryl Caby's never 834 00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:29,720 Speaker 2: seen a penny of that money. 835 00:43:30,640 --> 00:43:33,520 Speaker 1: Yeah. Gets you know again, it's in that same apartment. 836 00:43:34,080 --> 00:43:34,360 Speaker 3: Still. 837 00:43:34,360 --> 00:43:36,560 Speaker 1: I guess he's got a pretty sweet rent control situation, 838 00:43:36,560 --> 00:43:40,040 Speaker 1: would be my guest. Sounds like Kent, but he ran 839 00:43:40,200 --> 00:43:43,799 Speaker 1: for mayor in New York in two thousand and one 840 00:43:44,600 --> 00:43:47,480 Speaker 1: pushing he's a vegetarian, pushing vegetarian minus. 841 00:43:47,520 --> 00:43:50,440 Speaker 3: Apparently he works in squirrel rescue and rehabilitation. 842 00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:54,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's right, and also still runs his electronics business 843 00:43:54,760 --> 00:43:58,880 Speaker 1: out of his apartment. And he then ran in two 844 00:43:58,920 --> 00:44:02,560 Speaker 1: thousand and five for public Advocate on the platform against 845 00:44:02,680 --> 00:44:06,920 Speaker 1: circumcision and in favor of power naps for New York 846 00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:07,919 Speaker 1: City workers. 847 00:44:08,840 --> 00:44:10,479 Speaker 2: I saw that in two thousand and one, not only 848 00:44:10,520 --> 00:44:12,719 Speaker 2: Bernard gets ran for Mary, but so did the real 849 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:14,760 Speaker 2: Kramer Kenny Kramer. 850 00:44:16,320 --> 00:44:19,200 Speaker 1: Gets Is also arrested himself later for dealing drugs in 851 00:44:19,360 --> 00:44:23,120 Speaker 1: twenty thirteen, or at least trying to sell drugs to 852 00:44:23,200 --> 00:44:25,400 Speaker 1: an undercover officer. 853 00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:28,319 Speaker 2: Yeah, he became a huge pro pot advocate apparently too, 854 00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:31,840 Speaker 2: which is a pretty surprising outcome. So as for the 855 00:44:32,600 --> 00:44:37,799 Speaker 2: four victims, Darryl Kby again he was paralyzed for life 856 00:44:37,800 --> 00:44:42,320 Speaker 2: from the abdomen down and it suffered brain damage. Alan 857 00:44:42,880 --> 00:44:46,879 Speaker 2: Barry Allen and Troy Canty were both in prison back 858 00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:50,600 Speaker 2: in nineteen ninety six during the civil trial, and James 859 00:44:50,680 --> 00:44:54,359 Speaker 2: Ramser had been in and out of prison, including one 860 00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:58,480 Speaker 2: charge of trying faking his own kidnapping, and then he 861 00:44:59,239 --> 00:45:04,040 Speaker 2: died in twenty eleven, I think, twenty seven years to 862 00:45:04,120 --> 00:45:07,279 Speaker 2: the day of the subway shooting in nineteen eighty four, 863 00:45:07,840 --> 00:45:12,239 Speaker 2: of an overdose that is widely suspected to have been purposeful. 864 00:45:12,920 --> 00:45:15,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, he had He's sort of twenty five years in 865 00:45:15,960 --> 00:45:20,000 Speaker 1: prison total after that shooting, so he had a rough 866 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:22,960 Speaker 1: go of it and that is. I've been wanting to 867 00:45:23,000 --> 00:45:24,439 Speaker 1: do this in for a while. This one's been sitting 868 00:45:24,480 --> 00:45:25,680 Speaker 1: in the inbox for a long time. 869 00:45:25,760 --> 00:45:27,880 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, it's a big thanks to Julia for putting 870 00:45:27,880 --> 00:45:28,240 Speaker 3: this together. 871 00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:31,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, thanks Julia. If you want to know more about 872 00:45:31,200 --> 00:45:34,560 Speaker 2: Bernard Gets, you could start with those two books that 873 00:45:34,600 --> 00:45:39,000 Speaker 2: came out recently that Chuck just mentioned, Five Bullets by 874 00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:43,280 Speaker 2: Elliott Williams and Fear and Fury colon the Reagan Eighties, 875 00:45:43,320 --> 00:45:46,200 Speaker 2: The Bernard Gets Shootings and The Rebirth of White Rage 876 00:45:46,520 --> 00:45:47,880 Speaker 2: by Heather Ann Thompson. 877 00:45:49,520 --> 00:45:52,080 Speaker 3: My inclination is goes by bullets because of no colon. 878 00:45:52,280 --> 00:45:56,360 Speaker 2: Okay, well, since Chuck cited a preference for no colon's, 879 00:45:56,480 --> 00:45:57,920 Speaker 2: it's time for listener now. 880 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:02,640 Speaker 3: That's right. I don't even know why I picked this 881 00:46:02,680 --> 00:46:04,360 Speaker 3: one to read. I just thought it was kind of funny. 882 00:46:04,680 --> 00:46:06,560 Speaker 1: Hey, guys, just listening to the Camp David episode and 883 00:46:06,640 --> 00:46:08,480 Speaker 1: was shocked to learn that Camp David is in Maryland. 884 00:46:08,840 --> 00:46:11,160 Speaker 1: I thought it was in Texas for some reason, and 885 00:46:11,200 --> 00:46:14,439 Speaker 1: I sheepishly went to my fiance to talk to him 886 00:46:14,440 --> 00:46:17,759 Speaker 1: about it. Before I confess my embarrassing mistake, I said, Hey, 887 00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:20,680 Speaker 1: by the way, you know Camp David, where do you 888 00:46:20,719 --> 00:46:23,359 Speaker 1: think it is, and he said Texas. So it made 889 00:46:23,360 --> 00:46:25,680 Speaker 1: me wonder why we both thought thought Camp David was 890 00:46:25,719 --> 00:46:28,960 Speaker 1: in Texas. Perhaps it's a millennial thing. I'm very curious 891 00:46:29,000 --> 00:46:31,920 Speaker 1: if any of your listeners thought the same. Anyway, I 892 00:46:31,960 --> 00:46:33,160 Speaker 1: thought you might find this amusing. 893 00:46:33,280 --> 00:46:34,920 Speaker 3: I did. Rachel, thank you. 894 00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:37,839 Speaker 1: For a great work and for being my weekly companions 895 00:46:38,200 --> 00:46:40,800 Speaker 1: for more than a decade. And that is Rachel and Raleigh, 896 00:46:41,120 --> 00:46:43,640 Speaker 1: North Carolina and Rachel. We did not hear from anyone 897 00:46:43,719 --> 00:46:47,440 Speaker 1: else about Texas. But hey, if you and your fiance 898 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:50,960 Speaker 1: both went to Texas or you know with your first answer, 899 00:46:51,360 --> 00:46:52,839 Speaker 1: then there's got to be something to it. 900 00:46:52,920 --> 00:46:54,920 Speaker 2: Sure they're from a different timeline. 901 00:46:55,520 --> 00:46:57,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, I would say look within yourself, all. 902 00:46:57,880 --> 00:46:59,960 Speaker 2: Right and find Texas. 903 00:47:00,400 --> 00:47:00,879 Speaker 3: That's right. 904 00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:04,520 Speaker 2: If you want to be like Rachel, was it, that's right? 905 00:47:05,000 --> 00:47:07,439 Speaker 2: And send us a great email where you confess some 906 00:47:07,560 --> 00:47:11,040 Speaker 2: strange belief that only you and your fiance have. We 907 00:47:11,080 --> 00:47:13,439 Speaker 2: would love to hear it. You can send it off 908 00:47:13,480 --> 00:47:19,280 Speaker 2: to Stuff Podcasts at iHeartRadio dot com. 909 00:47:20,719 --> 00:47:23,600 Speaker 3: Stuff you Should Know is a production of iHeartRadio. For 910 00:47:23,680 --> 00:47:27,879 Speaker 3: more podcasts my heart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 911 00:47:28,000 --> 00:47:29,840 Speaker 3: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows,